


Feminine

by MusicalRaven



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Nail Polish, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 12:56:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15841752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalRaven/pseuds/MusicalRaven
Summary: Duck is reluctant to let Aubrey paint his nails





	Feminine

**Author's Note:**

> Got an idea to write this at like 1am cause of tumblr user hungwyy talking about trans Duck reintroducing himself to the wonders to feminine things. So have this

"Aubrey, look, I don't think-"

"Buh buh buh," Aubrey said, holding up a hand to silence Duck's protests. "You agreed to let me do your nails _at least_ once. So let me."

Duck sighed. "I just- what if it looks weird?"

Aubrey shrugged. "It won't." She picked up a bottle of hot pink nail polish, shaking it a bit. "Now c'mon, hold out your hand."

Duck stared at the bottle, biting his lip. "Uh, is there- do you have a different color you can use or-?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I didn't realize you were too _manly_ for a little pink polish, _Mr._ Newton."

Duck almost smiled, the action turning to a grimace instead. "Something like that." He cleared his throat, gesturing to a bottle with a lighter blue. "Let's do that one." Aubrey gave him a look. "Please?" He added, a little more desperate.

Aubrey studied him a moment, brow furrowed in obvious annoyance. Duck automatically leaned forward, hiding a chest that was no longer there as he waited. Finally Aubrey sighed and switched the pink for the blue. "You know that pink for girls, blue for boys shit is bullshit right?"

Duck swallowed, giving a little shrug as he held out a hand to Aubrey. "I know it just- sometimes things are- well, pink is just such a- a weird color and that-" He made a frustrated noise. Why couldn't he just pick a goddamn reason?

Aubrey chuckled. "It's _fine_ , Duck." She started painting his index finger and Duck wrinkled his nose at the feeling. "I'll convince you of the wonders of pink eventually." She grinned at him and dammit, he couldn't fight the smile this time.

"We'll see," He said, grimacing as she moved on to the next finger. "God, why does that feel so weird?"

"Hush." Her tongue poked out from her lip as she concentrated, quickly finishing one hand, and then the other. Duck watched, both fascinated and unnerved. He could feel the old jitters coming on him as his nails now shown a pale blue, and he swallowed hard.

Aubrey pulled back, twisting his hands to admire her handy work. "I'm getting good at this, huh?" She glanced up at Duck, then frowned. "Duck?"

Duck swallowed again, closing his eyes as he took a slow breath. It was just nail polish. He was fine. 

"Duck?" Aubrey's voice was lower. More careful. "Is something wrong?"

"I-" Duck let out another breath, sighing as he opened his eyes. He glanced over her shoulder. "It's just strange. I havent- I don't like that it makes me think of other...things I would rather...avoid."

"Like what?"

Duck shook his head. "Aubrey, I don't-"

"Duck, if you don't want to tell me that's fine, but-" She bit her lip, squeezing his hands gently in hers. "I'm happy to listen. You know that. I won't judge."

Duck closed his eyes again. "I- Aubrey, I haven't had my nails painted since- well, since my mother painted them." He shook his head. "That time was...different for me. More expectations. More rules. I had to do it to- to prove something to her. And when I stopped trying to prove that..." Duck opened his eyes, glancing at Aubrey as he said, "I haven't let myself do anything feminine since. Bad memories and all that, you know?"

Aubrey stared at him a moment, then smiled, squeezing his hands again. "Well, Duck, we all do feminine things. And masculine things. But it doesn't change who we know we are. And I gotta say," She says, letting his hands go. "That nail polish just makes you more manly in my eyes."

Duck snorted a laugh, glancing down at his hands, then back at her. "That makes no sense."

"Mmm, agree to disagree."

"I can live with that."


End file.
